


Living A Different Life In The Same World From Zero (Reinhard IF)

by UlbertSnow



Category: Re:ゼロから始める異世界生活 | Re:Zero Starting Life in Another World (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Character Death, Characters will be added as they appear - Freeform, F/M, Minor Character Death, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Time Loop, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-15 08:20:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29186184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UlbertSnow/pseuds/UlbertSnow
Summary: Somewhere else, a lone vegetable fell from a carriage, causing a splash on the ground which no one saw nor heard….It was finally time, for Natsuki Subaru to embark on his long-awaited journey.——-Or, Subaru doesn’t think twice about helping Emilia after all he went through, and meets a certain someone instead. Takes place in the final loop of Arc 1 [Spoilers for Arc 3+]
Relationships: Emilia/Natsuki Subaru, Natsuki Subaru & Reinhard Van Astrea
Comments: 28
Kudos: 69





	1. The Man Named Reinhard Van Astrea

**Author's Note:**

> You see, there was this particular plot bunny that kept nagging at me to write it, and of course, being the compulsive writer that I am, couldn’t stop myself from not doing so. 
> 
> Thus, this project came to light. I’ve been thinking about it even before Season 2 came out, but never came around to writing it until now. It’s probably due to nostalgia from Season 1 lmao
> 
> Anyway, don’t mind my rambling. Let’s get right on to it! 
> 
> Edit: Of course, a trigger warning is par for the course with Re:Zero, but I felt like reminding anyone reading this just in case.

Natsuki Subaru was a hero, or at least, he always wanted to be one. If his current life was boring, then where’s the need in following the rules of the world. There was more to life than worrying about menial things like “love”, or a purpose. It was freeing to finally have some time to himself, to not be dedicated to anyone but his own identity. 

Now, he was truly, definitely, a blank slate living his own life, and reaching a new purpose. He was certain of his capability to survive in the city, and his current location was nothing short of convenient. 

Somewhere else, a lone vegetable fell from a carriage, causing a splash on the ground which no one saw nor heard….  
.  
Because on that day, nothing could stop him from going on his journey to the outside world…..

“Why must love always fade?”

—-

The first step of his plan, naturally, was to gather supplies for an expedition. Being nothing short of a tutorial lobby, he’d expected there to be some basic materials at the very least.

And indeed, there were. 

“Hey, kid, if you’re not going to buy something, step aside. You’re messing with the other customers.” 

Kadomon shooed Subaru as he eyed the Appa Stand once again. This time, he was much more attentive in their price, more than anything, so that he’d have some to buy. 

“What about those Appas? How much do you charge for them?” 

The merchant believed that the boy was referring to the one he held in his hands, so he put it back in his pocket. 

“Do you have money or not?”

Subaru didn’t, but it’s not like he could say that outright. 

“H-Hey! You’ll lose potential customers with that mighty attitude!” Even if he was a simple merchant, Kadomon was much rougher in his handling of visitors than that other cashier was.  
“And even so, I’ll be taking a dozen!”

Kadomon took a deep breath, beginning to lose his patience with him “So you’re the kind of kid to wave around his status by fooling people? I don’t serve the swindlers that live around here”

“That’ll be twenty holy coins for the dozen, so pay up before you take ‘em.”

Subaru remembered his previous negotiation in the Loot House. Rom had valued his cell phone, which he now referred to as a Metia, with the worth of twenty holy coins. 

“This is a Metia! With this cool gadget, you’ll be able to stop a moment in time and see what it’s like from the outside!” 

Kadomon covered his eyes as Subaru took several photos of the stock with his cell phone, though the flash function was still enabled. 

“Don’t shove that light in my eyes!” He covered them with his hands as he tried to examine the device he had. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but it seems you really were telling the truth about that, huh?”

“This is a very rare variant! But I’ll sell it to you for just twenty holy coins! Most people would buy for more, you know?” 

Haggling the price wouldn’t work anyhow, considering the amount of attention that Kadomon had for his products. 

“Fine, fine. I’ll take it. I suppose my daughter could have some use for it.”

He snatched the cellphone from his hands and looked at it silently. After a moment, he looked back at Subaru again, and nodded with silent approval. 

“And that’s that! Thanks for your service, old man!” He gave him a thumbs up as he said so. 

“Who’re you calling old!?”

—-

Subaru walked through the streets of the capital as he surmised his next course of action in his mind. Lacking in resources, it was necessary for him to formulate a proper strategy were he to take on this foreign world. 

“How convenient, my grocery bag sure comes in handy right now. maybe this really was the big hint I needed, huh?”

“Other than that…..Well, these dozen apples could help me build up a healthy diet. I’ll just hope they’re not poisonous to humans, that’d be the worst...”

Taking a single bite out of the apple, he was disappointed at how dull they tasted, it’s not like he’d wanted something more interesting, just an objectively better option would suffice. 

“Judging from the amount of food I have, I think I could go a few days just on chips and water…”

Subaru admitted that the journey to the other end of the capital would take him at least half a day, judging his current position and distance to the exit. If he was going to leave for good, then it was necessary to take everything into account.

“I have enough food for a back-and-forth trip in the capital, but I’m still broke…”

As bad as it sounded, he was curious to know whether or not ferocious beasts existed in this world. In your average story, there would surely be wild monsters waiting to be slain, and their skin and meat sold for valuables. 

“Well then, my next objective’s going to be just that! This is just the base level, so there must be some sort of hunting grounds...Maybe a forest?”

——

Subaru kept walking and walking and walking across the streets. Judging by the structure of the capital, he’d eventually reach the border one way or another, since he’d seen knights transporting goods across the entire capital the first time around. 

Having time to himself allowed him to communicate with the locals properly, something he clearly messed up back when this was a simple fever dream to him. 

Some of the townsfolk seemed like they’d be useful as party members, but because they were passing by on the streets, his attempts at having them join him were openly rejected.

Subaru walked through the hallways alone, a slap on his cheek. 

He joked about it before, but Lugnica was a much bigger place than she made it out to be.  
Being gifted with superhuman speed or limitless flight would’ve been nice at this point. 

“Ah! That’s it! It must be somewhere close to here, I think!”

His approach to the situation had been wrong from the very beginning. If he did cross the border before picking up a teammate, it’s likely that they’d leave him alone rather than help him.  
That’s why, if this place has some sort of border patrol, which usually takes shifts during specific points in the day, he’d be able to get their attention. 

Subaru’s steps quickened as he tried to step up his pace. Bumping into some of the townsfolk on the way, it was about time before he’d get to meet someone important, right——?

As if on cue, there appeared to be a lone swordsman walking in the distance, bearing elegant white clothes and red hair. More than anything, the fact that he was carrying an impressive-looking weapon was what convinced him of speaking to that man. 

“Hey, you! The guy with the cool sword!”

Subaru pointed at the red-haired man in the distance, as he walked through the streets. 

The swordsman looked back at him, confused as to why he’d want to speak with him for no particular reason at all. The boy was alone, and there were no other people to accompany him, so he lowered his guard accordingly. 

“I am not sure of how I should take that comment of yours, so I will let it slide.” 

Unlike his appearance, the patient and polite expression imprinted in the swordsman’s face indicated that he was a kind person. 

Subaru took a moment to inspect the knight’s appearance, coming to the conclusion that he was quite strong, and not just that, he was one of those “high-ranking” knights too. 

“If you’re a swordsman, how about joining the party I’m planning to make? You work as a tank to compensate!”

“Tank? I am unsure of what you are referring to, could you clarify?”

“In other words, I want you to work together with me! Let’s save a princess, hunt monsters, and become rich together!”

The insistent tone that Subaru kept using was quite concerning to him. From the looks of it, the boy was some sort of bounty hunter looking to make a fortune for himself. 

“I see….” The man took a moment to think of a proper response, and finally answered “Very well, I can’t help your situation at this time, but at the very least, I can support it. Is there anything else you request?”

“If you can’t go with me, then I’ll just be your assistant! How’s that sound?”

“I’m afraid I must refuse your offer. This is purely for your own safety, but I’d advise you to undergo proper training as a knight before going on this journey”

“Actually, a room would be fine. Some sort of Inn I can stay and rest in, if there is one.” 

“Indeed, there are many” The man looked around his surroundings to spot a particular one, though most of them could not be differentiated “There is one not far from here, and it allows humans to rest in them as well.” 

Subaru looked awkwardly at the man as he tried to cover his shame, twiddling his thumbs “If it’s not much else, could you pay for it too?”

“You’re quite lacking in resources…” Once again, his misconceptions about the boy had changed. If he wasn’t an experienced bounty hunter, then the most likely conclusion to make was that—-

“Though I’m certain you have good intentions, the least I can do is help those in need. The capital has a significant problem with poverty, so I understand your position.”

The man took his hand inside the pockets in hus jacket and shuffled through its insides. After a moment, he took out a few silver coins and extended them to him, yet waited for him to answer something. 

“If It’s not much to ask, I would like to know who is receiving help from me”

First impressions were powerful. He’d been stupid enough to fumble his chances with that girl, who called herself “Satella”, and it was likely that he’d never get a proper chance to apologize to her, so….

“Natsuki Subaru.” The boy said simply and concisely “just a lonely passerby who’s broke beyond compare.” 

“Don’t think so lightly of yourself, Subaru, you’ve already made quite an impression on me.”

The boy’s eyes lit up from excitement as the swordsman began to walk in the direction of the Inn Subaru was supposed to stay at. Both of them walked together as friendly strangers, though the boy was quite confident in the fact that he’d earned himself a party member. 

“I’m a Master Swordsman, but you may know me simply as Reinhard.” 

—-

In his mind, the name which was given to him was enough to make him smile from excitement, let alone that he was a “Master Swordsman”. Reinhard’s charismatic aura had naturally drawn them together, but this was surely something beyond mere luck. 

“I’ve hit the jackpot of legendary heroes! At this point, he’ll turn my life from a tragedy to a complete comedy!” 

The room he was supposed to stay in was very small, especially in comparison to his bedroom. In any case, he didn’t mind it. The receptionist had been eyeing him like a hawk the entire time, but Reinhard’s presence was enough to dissuade their suspicions. 

“This room is just for me! I knew it had to be somewhere, just waiting for me to find it!” He looked back at Reinhard while unloading his bag from his hands, finally free of its weight. 

“At the very least, I’m glad you were able to find a place to stay in.” 

“I’m only staying here until tomorrow morning. Once that time comes, I’ll be taking the world by storm!” He had taken the wrong route before, but he was now sure that this was the right one. There were no assassins to track him down and no bandits to assault him. 

He couldn’t help but clasp his hands together in prayer, an action which amused the knight. 

“You sure seem confident in yourself, Subaru. Though I warn you that Lugnica is much more on edge than usual” Reinhard stood near the door while he waited for him to pay attention. 

“Ah, you mean the capital?”

“No, I’m referring to the entire territory. From what you’ve told me, your journey would take you towards Irlam Village, and the forest that resides beside it” 

Subaru raised his hands in the air upon receiving confirmation on his theory “So I was right! There really are monsters in the forest these days!”

“This is only my suggestion, but I recommend that you take someone with experience close to you. As far as I know, the townsfolk don’t take kindly to foreigners.”

His improvised smile had soon shifted into a frown as he realized the implications of his comment. 

“Eeeh?! You say that but don’t offer yourself to help me?!”

Reinhard shook his head and dissuaded him from losing his temper even further “Though I am a Royal Knight, and am currently off-duty, I cannot accompany you without abandoning my orders. Therefore, I hope my aid is enough.”

Subaru looked at him with a look of undeserving disappointment, and sighed “If you did me a favor, then there’s probably something I can do for you, right? If that happens, will you join me as a party member?”

The swordsman took a hand to his chin as he seemed to be lost in thought “There is something we’ve been looking for, or rather, a certain person who’s been missing for a time, though I suppose you naturally would not know who they are” 

“Well, well! If I see them, I’ll make sure to call you anytime! What are they like?”

Reinhard began to mime their appearance with his hands “A person of about this height”, raising his hand to about the height of his chest “With a particular insignia, identified as a red jewel in its center.” 

That description was far too familiar for Subaru to ignore, because it matched the profile of someone who had helped him before. Then again, it was hard to tell from his vague details whether he was right or wrong about it. 

“I think I’ve seen her before, when I was walking through the streets with the vendor. She’s usually walking around with a cat-like spirit.”

“Hmmm….I see….That is enough information for me to work with, at the very least.”

With one final wave of his hand, he wished him farewell, which Subaru did not protest to. He was stubborn in going through with his trip towards Irlam Village, and the last thing he’d need was more obstacles. 

Tomorrow, he’d be able to ask for directions…..

——

Dreams of home, dreams of a time that was yet to come. Maybe this ability wasn’t so bad after all, if it allowed him to change his life around and test destiny itself. 

The fact that such a violent woman as the person who’d claimed his life before, decided to leave him alone in such a crucial moment, was proof that he was only getting himself in trouble by heading to the Loot House. 

If what Reinhard said was true, then it was for the best that he didn’t join him after all, which is why he didn’t make as much of a fuss as he could have. Satella and Puck were probably saved by him, since he was looking for her the entire time. Maybe his instructions had helped them without having to intervene….

Subaru opened his eyes in a sudden motion, and stared at the ceiling. 

“I couldn’t even get a night’s worth of sleep, damnit....”

Subaru rubbed his eyes and yawned, stretching his arms as he tried to focus his vision on his surroundings. It was still nighttime, unlike what he’d expected, and the sunrise didn’t seem to have left him behind. 

“That was an unusually long dream, huh?”

He cursed the fact that this humble inn lacked the resources to build a clock on the wall. It only solidified his resolve to bring proper technology to the capital, one step at a time. 

But that could come later. For now, his main focus was to hopefully reunite with Reinhard again, and have the four of them work together as a team. Satella as the cute half-elf in need of rescue, Reinhard as the knight of legend who always shows up when needed, Puck as the adorable team mascot, and himself as the protagonist and leader behind it all. 

“Things are finally starting to look up for me, aren’t they?”

The room was barren of a mirror, which was a shame. He wanted to practice his smile so that Satella would look at him more. Then again, there would always be time for that if they got to rest at a nice place together. 

Doing a final morning stretch, he opened the door to go downstairs, and was greeted with an otherworldly chill. 

He wasn’t scared or terrified. There wasn’t any particular reason for his body to shiver the way it did, and yet it was. His hands trembled from the overwhelming chill that was running up his spine.  
The amount of sweat on his body only made it worse, as it only intensified his need to cover his body from the cold. 

The room was cold. Subaru coughed repeatedly as he tried to cover his mouth with his hands, and when that failed, resorted to putting them in his tracksuit. The cold touch of the walls made him realize that it was as though winter had suddenly striked Lugnica. 

“The weather’s insane here! Reinhard didn’t tell me anything about a winter storm…”

Slowly, he grabbed onto the wooden railing to support his body, and began walking with heavy steps towards the stairs near him. 

“A-Aaagh!”

He fell down the stairs after taking a single step. Collapsing face-first into the lower floor and near the reception. The nerves in his legs were screaming out in agony as he felt one of them shatter in place, making him wail from sheer pain and terror. 

“Hnngh! Agh!”

He looked behind him, and realized that his right leg had been frozen solid, and it wasn’t budging no matter what he did. Subaru tried sliding his leg across the floor to move himself towards the reception, all the while coughing and trying to hold himself together.

“Hey!” He tried to raise his body to speak with the receptionist “Hey, Hey! Listen to me! Can’t you see that I’m missing my leg here—?!”

There was no one else there. 

Subaru’s eyes widened with intensity as he began to think with clarity. The townsfolk that had been speaking in the lower floor had completely disappeared from the area, and because of that, there wasn’t much else to do. 

He was left with no other choice than to call for help, and he needed it desperately. A healer could be of use in this situation, but it was quite inconvenient that Reinhard wasn’t one, nor was Satella. 

With the aid of his arms, he crawled on the floor and looked for the entrance, approaching it carefully. If there were people outside, he hoped to explain that he was in quite a shock, and to dismiss his ridiculous antics. 

Natsuki Subaru opened the door…..

And the scenery before him was frozen and covered in vast amounts of snow. Before they were able to do anything, those who were walking around the streets had been turned into terrifying statues made of ice. 

The entire street, as well as the sky, had turned into an empty hue of grey. A lovely spring had transformed into a powerful display of winter at play. The wind that previously caressed his body, was now travelling like powerful waves as it delivered a sheer coldness around it. 

His horrified voice, interrupted with several coughs and shrieks, was soon replaced by pleas for help. He wanted a hero to help him, because he wasn’t able to achieve his dream. Because if someone else could complete his goal, then at least he could have a sliver of hope. 

Surrounded by snow, with a frozen leg and a frozen arm weighing down on him, he called out for Reinhard as he became unable to speak anymore, only watch as the figure of a gigantic beast slowly approached the capital far in the distance. 

A sword was raised, emanating holy light and symbols of strength from within its sheath. The area around them was illuminated to a point brighter than the stars above. The buildings of the capital crumbled into debris, as the snow itself began to burn up from the force of the blast.

In the blink of an eye, the capital was terraformed into a barren wasteland. No living being could hope to withstand the complete annihilation that it was overcome with in a matter of seconds. Flowers withered, the sky darkened further, and a lonely sensation came over the sole individual left standing. 

Subaru’s vision was overwhelmed by light as his body fell victim to an excruciatingly painful force, enough to tear skin from flesh and flesh from bone.  
No traces of his existence were left as remainders of its pained experience, only living on as a memory that was yet to be. 

Natsuki Subaru’s body became dust. 

——-

As soon as [Return by Death], as he referred to it, had activated, he fell on his butt and stared at the Appa salesman with dumbfounded surprise. He had let out a sudden scream that left him the impression that he was more than insane. 

“Hey, kid. Stop screaming like that, you’ll piss off the other customers.”

Subaru nodded in silence as he stood up again, trying not to have all of the attention on his embarrassing act. The way he stared wide-eyed at Kadomon, however, made him feel unnerved. 

“I’m not messing around. Show me the money or go look for another market, kid.”

That, right then and there, was real. 

A gigantic beast had attacked the capital, and was presumably the culprit behind this incident, since it had never happened before. One could only guess that it was due to the appearance of this legendary knight that he was set to appear. 

He had thought so little of it, but his journey through the capital was beginning to make sense with each time he thought of another course of action. Subaru didn’t “need” to save anyone, nor was it a requirement. 

He needed to defeat that monster, and save everyone here while he was at it. Terrorizing the lives of these innocent people would give him the opportunity to attain fame and fortune, all he needed was the right people and the right preparations. 

“This is my time to shine! Let's tackle the event boss!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like you probably guessed, the title of this fic isn’t “Reinhard If” for no reason, and the starting point is that of a Subaru who lost himself in his own adventures rather than focusing on his original goal. (Suffering is what makes a Subaru, a Subaru after all) 
> 
> I’m trying my best to be consistent with the canon lore, and it’s also a way to practice my crappy english hahaha (ESL, but technically third). In any case, gentle reminder to all my readers that I’m usually unpredictable with my update schedules in both a good and a bad way (Tappei-tier), so keep that in mind. 
> 
> Final note: Obviously, i’m being more faithful to Subaru’s characterization in Arc 1 here. Thought I’d mention it. 
> 
> Next time, the adventures of Reinhard Van Astrea, and Natsuki Subaru, continue!
> 
> Thanks For Reading!


	2. The Battle Which Created The World Anew

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who tuned in to the last chapter! I’m glad I was able to make it interesting, at least.
> 
> That being said, feel free to point out any mistakes in the worldbuilding I may make sometimes, it honestly helps a lot (if you liked it though, I wouldn’t mind it either)
> 
> Enjoy!

Event Boss!

In an average setting, similar to that of a game, they serve as antagonists for the “Hero” in this world, their only purpose to be slain down and skinned for their loot. Appearing and disappearing without a trace, their name is fitting for their temporary presence in the world, though bearing incredible rewards for whoever is lucky enough to kill them. 

Subaru’s thought process dictated that he’d get used to it with time, and yet…. “Going through that again would be such a pain, it’s becoming predictable” he couldn’t help but feel the slightest bit disillusioned by the lack of surprise here. 

Before this point, as he had recently identified this phenomenon, he had lost his life three times, and this one was the fourth. With each mistake that he made, his miscalculations grew further and further. Yet, it was safe to say that he was starting to grasp the bigger picture of this situation.

Subaru chose to ignore Kadomon’s comments altogether. He was much more focused on how the beast’s intervention interrupted his plan to escape the capital, and what’s more, posed a direct threat to his lifestyle. 

In spite of recent events, he remained stubborn in his quest to become a hero. 

Finishing his usual business with the merchant, as well as selling his cell phone in the process, he continued on exploring the capital alongside his grocery bag. The only action he’d made sure to do differently, was to buy half a dozen apples rather than the entire pile, to have some coins to spare for himself, which he stashed in his pocket. 

Luckily for Subaru, he had enough foresight to know that Reinhard would be strolling through the same place he’d first seen him in, which certainly sped up the process. He goofed around the first time, but his objective was clear now. 

And indeed, after a few minutes of searching, he saw that Reinhard was going to continue his travels for the missing person. Before he could leave, though, Subaru called out to him. 

“Hey, Reinhard! I didn’t expect to see you around here! It’s not just a coincidence, right?”

Both of them had met before in this same place, but the knight didn’t know that. He hoped that he’d be just as understanding as yesterday, seeing as how he made sure to change as little as possible. 

However, Reinhard was quite surprised at the casualness of his greeting.

“I-Indeed….That is my name, yes…” He was taken aback by the boy’s natural and joyful demeanor, but it was confusing “...In any case, I don’t suppose you’ve gotten yourself into trouble?”

There he was, the casual Reinhard. Though his expression indicated that he was trying to remember his face, the knight’s appearance was impossible to forget. 

“Plenty! I’ll have you know I saw a gigantic beast approach the capital a few moments ago! It froze everyone up and left nothing behind!”

Again, the knight was unsure of how much the boy seemed to know about the situation, though Subaru could surmise from his sudden expression of shock that he knew something about it. 

“I’m confident of the fact that no beast has rampaged through the capital before, though your description of events has a sense of familiarity to it…..” Upon finishing that phrase, he further looked at Subaru with a serious tone, as if getting ready to discuss an important matter. “What did that beast look like? You said it caused a severe blizzard, correct?”

“Why didn’t you warn me about that? It could’ve been a good time to do so earlier, huh?”

“Earlier? I don’t recall meeting you before, though I certainly would if I did….”

“You’re the kind of person who meets plenty of people, don’t you? I’m just an old face you forgot about!”

Reinhard took a moment to think about where he’d seen him before, but did not have even the vaguest idea about it. “Perhaps it was in Vollachia, while I was acting as a bodyguard? Are you a foreigner?”

“Ah! Vollachia sounds like an awesome place, doesn’t it? I’m not actually from there, though. I’m sure I just popped up here…”

His next reaction was one of surprise, as he didn’t expect to think of that “Don’t tell me….Where you perhaps a traveler who stumbled upon me while I visited the Augria Sand Dunes?”

“This world has so many strange places, it’s too bad I didn’t know of them before I came here….”

Subaru imagined what kinds of places could bear the name “Vollachia” and “Augria Sand Dunes”, but his representation was much more exaggerated than in reality. 

“I suppose, even you have no clue as to where you met me, but my presence happened to call your attention?”

Subaru shook his head, because it was just an assumption on Reinhard’s part “I know your reputation is that of a Master Swordsman, but don’t be so obvious about it, alright?”

Through his confusion, he was forced to dismiss his concerns, although it didn’t seem to be a problem for the time being. He was an enigmatic individual who claimed to have close ties to him, as far as he knew. 

“If your story is true, then it seems I must prioritize the capture of this creature as a safety measure.”

Reinhard had been listening closely to Subaru, but speaking of such a dangerous topic in the middle of the street could cause disarray in the townsfolk, which he recognized. 

“Let’s continue our conversation on a more private location, if you’re fine with that.”

“I know a place we can go to! Come on, I’ll lead the way!” 

——

This time, it was Subaru himself who took Reinhard to the Inn he had first stayed in. Unlike before, though, the reception was brimming with life as the townsfolk spoke with one another, a collection of humans and warriors from very different backgrounds. 

Their introduction went as usual, and the boy introduced himself to him again. This only heightened his worry, as Reinhard had no clue as to who he even was. 

Subaru wanted to know more about that monster to hopefully take it down. He also didn’t mind giving him part of the credit, however “Do you   
know about that creature, Reinhard?” 

“You may not be familiar with them yourself, but for the Royal Guard, it’s important for us to be aware of external threats to Lugnica.” 

“So the Royal Guard knows about it too? How can you tell when it’s going to show up?”

“We don’t know.” Reinhard took a small amount of time to gather his thoughts “I’m thankful for your knowledge of it, however. From your description, it’s no ordinary creature.”

“I’m sure it’s going to take more than just a slash to take it down! He’s quite the monster, you know?”

“That...Reminds me…” Reinhard put his hands on the table, as if asking him to slow his speech for him to keep up “I believe I am aware of who that beast might be, though I’m afraid that my idea could be flawed.”

As he said, there were few Great Spirits in the world fitting of the description he had given him, and the mere mention of its name was enough to alert him. 

“That day, the creature you saw was probably the Beast of the End, wasn’t it?” 

“H-Hey! I thought they reserved the Demon King as the end boss! You’re saying he’s going to show up already!?” 

“Calm down, Subaru. Don’t give him such a high-position, as he is quite powerful, but not enough to bring us down.”

“But if he’s not the Demon King, then what the heck is he?”

“The Beast of the End is one of the Four Great Spirits, though it’s not officially recognized as such to the populace. From what I remember, it’s been more than ten years since one of them was last active, I’ve heard stories about it.”

“What are we waiting for, then? Let’s go hunt it down before it destroys everything!” 

“Please lower your tone, it could upset the people around us to learn of such a terrifying idea...”

“R-Right…”

“In any case, your intel was useful to me, and though I cannot confirm whether it is merely a rumor or a true event, I shall take your word for it, that’s the least I can do.”

Reinhard got up, and adjusted his knightly outfit as he looked for the exit. “I have to leave for a moment, but hopefully we can continue our conversation later.”

Though Subaru found it strange, he let the swordsman go and accomplish his duties. 

——

On Reinhard’s orders, several Royal Knights were stationed around the capital. It was quite a relief that they happened to be nearby, after all, and were capable of making a turn towards the survey point instead. 

One of the Royal Knights approached Reinhard, one which exuded a formal aura from his appearance, and wore the uniform with pride to his name. 

“I do not know who that boy is, but he does not seem to be a local to the capital. Do you know him from somewhere?” 

“It’s not much to worry about. He’s helped me out with useful information so far, and his heart is in the right place.”

“Heart…..” The knight took a moment to register those words “That’s one way to put it. I’d expect no less from you, Master Swordsman.”

“I’ve told you, you can address me as Reinhard, Julius, though I understand that you are following protocol for now.” 

“For someone of the Astrea House, you truly abide to the code even now…..” Julius lowered his gaze as he looked at his sword beside him, thinking to himself. “The preparations for the Royal Selection have been delayed, or so I’ve heard. Were you called in as a bodyguard?”

“Given the circumstances, it’s possible that it won’t be able to take place before we find the fifth heir….” Reinhard was cognizant of his objective, but couldn’t find a way to answer it’s call without finding more clues first. “That being said, I’m curious about your interest in the Royal Selection, do you intend to take part in it?”

“Naturally, as a knight, I trust in the opportunities bestowed upon me by Anastasia-sama.”

“I see….That girl could prove to be a competent King for the people, though I worry about how she would handle our unstable relationships with the border nations…”

“It is only the suspicion of our household, but it is my belief that she is worthy, indeed of winning the people’s trust in her abilities.”

Around Julius, several other guards had lined up to keep him company. One of them spoke in his ear and relayed an important message to him, which he acknowledged. 

“In all honesty, I meant to run an errand to the Hoshin Trading Company, my family has personal stakes in it. For that reason, I shall be leaving this place for the time being.”

“Very well, Julius. I’ll take it from here” Reinhard bid him farewell as Julius departed on his way. 

—-

Reinhard and Subaru had spent the rest of the afternoon asking around for valuable testimonies, but couldn’t get any useful accounts surrounding this tale. Soon, it was due for nighttime to arrive. 

“Though I believe your story, I’m afraid my duties will resume come morning. This is only my suggestion, but are you certain of the truth behind this story?” 

“It’s supposed to come here around midnight, that’s when I saw it.” 

“Around midnight….In saying that, do you claim that you did not witness the beast’s arrival?”

“Of course not! I don’t even know where it came from either, or why it went on a rampage!” 

“That does complicate matters somewhat…”

Reinhard was conflicted on whether to listen to the boy’s nonsensical story, or to continue with his original purpose. In the beginning, he had chosen to aid him purely out of politeness and insistence, but now, even he was starting to see the flaws in that premise. 

It was for this reason that Reinhard chose to steer the topic in a different direction. It was also an important matter that was pressing him, but for a very different reason. 

“Through the capital, there are reports of a missing girl who has been sighted by the locals before, but I do not have confirmation on it.”

“Is that why you decided to visit, even though you weren’t on duty?”

“Indeed, the person we are looking for is a possible heir to the throne, the fifth candidate, who was stated to appear in the prophecy…..”

Subaru gave him a snarky smile upon hearing that, since it meant that his suspicions that this was some sort of “fantasy world” resembling medieval times was more than accurate. 

“....Bearing blonde hair, and red eyes, she is currently missing, and it is my duty to retrieve her as soon as possible….” 

Reinhard turned towards Subaru, who had shifted from a confident smile to a shocked expression, as he registered what the man was saying. 

In his time in the capital, there was someone who carried this badge around, but had it stolen from them: Satella. Of course, her physical description was nothing like the girl in his account, except there was, indeed, another person that could match said profile. 

“That….That sounds like Felt, doesn’t it?” 

“Felt? Who is that person?”

“She was the one who stole—-“ Subaru stopped himself from continuing. It was very inconvenient for him to know the girl’s fake name, since he was about to use it at that moment, but refrained from doing so. “——the girl’s insignia! Yeah! The girl with silver hair!”

“Are you sure of that? You don’t sound very confident in your memory, Subaru.”

“Of course I am! In fact, it’s probably being bargained by Rom as we speak—-“

As the swordsman and the young traveller spoke with one another, the earth itself trembled. It kept shaking and shaking at an unstable motion, enough to put Reinhard on guard as Subaru tried to look around him. 

They hadn’t noticed it, but the sky was beginning to display a grey-ish hue as the paradise that existed before them started to dissolve into a winter-esque hell. The flow of the wind currents strengthened into an other-worldly maelstrom, with Subaru being helpless but to hold onto his jacket as it pulled them from the ground. 

And even through those gusts of wind, snow pelts hit his cheeks at random intervals of time. Given their distance, it wasn’t enough of a concern, but the air was growing much, much colder by the minute. 

“Why….?! Why is that thing here again?!” 

The swordsman was unable to comprehend how accurate Subaru’s claim was, or why it suddenly decided to show up in such a crucial moment. He knelt down for a moment, closing his eyes shut, until he reached his answer. 

“I’m ready now. It seems to be a creature with an affinity for fire, so I have prepared myself accordingly.” 

After doing so, Reinhard looked firmly at Subaru, and took his hand. It was all too ridiculous to handle. First, an assassin goes after them, and now, a giant monster was approaching the capital again, with the same disastrous circumstances as last time. 

“The Beast of the End has arrived. Our only option now is to evacuate everyone.”

—-

Shielded by Reinhard, Subaru headed towards the edges of the capital as he saw the chaotic aftermath of the beast’s arrival: Dozens of citizens pushing each other as they rushed to run away from such a terrifying scene. 

In this multitude of insanity, Kadomon called out for the Royal Guard to help him “Hey! Has anyone seen my daughter?! Where is she?!”  
He desperately tried to pull back one of the fleeing passersby as they stared at him with scared expressions, but got nothing out of them. 

With not much time left, he took his wife and searched through the crowd. 

Subaru took a second to think back to that little girl who missed her parents. The first time, it was Satella and himself who helped her go back to his father, but now, she had gone missing again.

“It’s not just him, everyone must be looking for their family as well. That’s why I must hurry to engage it as soon as possible.”

At the very least, Subaru was comforted by the fact that he could be right. That this was only a temporary threat that they’d be able to take down as a team. 

—-

Julius, the knight who was acquainted with Reinhard, was busy leading the evacuation against the Beast of the End. He kept calling for order, waving his hands in the air in an attempt to call their attention. 

“This is the Royal Guard! Do not push each other, and let children pass through first and foremost! The injured shall be carried away post-haste!”

From the corner of his eye, Julius spotted the curious figure of a scared child, holding a mysterious object in their hands, its origin a complete mystery to him. 

Upon doing so, he looked back at the rest of the knights in the midst of the snowstorm “Lead any remaining citizens to the capital’s outpost!” and they were forced to nod in compliance, mobilizing the Ground Dragons into action to transport them in the carriages. 

“There is something I must do first…” Is what he muttered to himself, as he continued to walk in the snow “Forgive me for this, Anastasia-sama, but I will never abandon a lost child.” 

Getting through the crowd was a difficult affair, but not impossible, as it began to disperse and move away from its usual spot. Waves of civilians moved after the other, until Julius reached the other end of the street. 

One of his contracted spirits had led him to the place where a small child, a little girl, was crying for his parents. Perhaps out of both pity and compassion, he couldn’t allow himself to ignore such a tragic occurrence. 

Bowing down to speak with her, he greeted her with a confident smile “Where are your parents? Did they go away?”

The girl nodded, wiping her tears from her face as she looked at him with a saddened expression. Seeing her pain, he acknowledged it, and took it upon himself to cleanse it. 

“My name is Julius Jukuulius. I am simply a knight of the Royal Guard, but I hope to reunite you with your family. You will be seeing them soon enough, so don’t cry, for their sake at least.”

It was his purpose to keep her busy, at least for a few moments, so that she could relax. Evacuating a panicked child would not cause her to relax, so he resorted to using another method. Julius looked at the object the girl was holding, and tried to inspect it.

“Is this a Metia? I thought they were extremely rare in this day and age. Perhaps my eyes are deceiving me….” The device contained an assortment of buttons, which he clicked out of curiosity. His embarrassment built up as a light shone on the device, setting that very moment in stone forever. 

Though he tried to justify his silly actions, the girl was now happy to be seeing such an entertaining sight, even amidst the chaos, so Julius smiled back at her. He gave her the “Metia” back, curious about how she got her hands on it. 

“Very well, I can see that you are quite the fortunate maiden, little miss——!”

As Julius was playfully speaking with the girl, a projectile was shot out, flying in the air at extremely fast speeds at it was aimed right at the knight in question. With a single slash of his sword, he was able to tear it in half, making it miss its target entirely. 

He turned back to the girl “We need to leave as soon as possible, there’s no time left—-!”

This time, he was careless to think that it was simply a coincidence that he was being attacked by stray projectiles. No, this one was successful in its trajectory, striking him in the back with such strength as to make him flinch and wince from the pain it caused. 

His cape and suit now stained in blood, he held the little girl in his arms as she allowed herself to be taken away. Yet, she was scared that something had happened to him, gripping his uniform with all her might. 

“Just a few more steps, and we’re making it out of this forsaken place!” 

The knight and the small girl followed the crowd, which was now impossible to miss. This was due to the screams of pain and suffering that could be heard all over the capital, as they were struck down by lances of ice. 

—

The beast was tall enough to dwarf the other buildings, squeezing itself into the street. It made the fleeing populace look like insects running from a predator, helpless to save themselves from danger. Its breath materialized as a powerful breeze that pushed those around it as it bared its fangs. 

But most concerning of all, was the fact that no one else was there to help. As much as Reinhard had made sure to prepare ahead of time, even the Royal Guard proved to be nothing but a split-second annoyance. Subaru and Reinhard located their fallen corpses, covered in mounds of snow, as they saw that they had been penetrated by lances of ice through their chest and torso. 

“Stay back! You still have time to escape with the rest of the citizens!”

He couldn’t blame the Master Swordsman for wanting to keep the credit for himself, but if possible, he wanted to be of use as well. 

“Listen to yourself, Reinhard! Don’t you want me to help?!”

“Is this truly the best setting to be feuding on pointless arguments?”

It was no use arguing with Reinhard. It was pointless. The more their counterarguments shot out against each other, the more time they wasted. In this scenario, every moment counts. 

To get him off his case, Subaru nodded and began to run back to where the rest of the crowd had gone. The snow made him trip and fall repeatedly as he tried to maintain his balance. 

The capital had become unrecognizable from before, terraformed into a state where the present buildings looked like fallen decorations from horror cinema. 

Subaru became lonely again. 

In his head, there was a voice, one which sounded unlike anything he had heard until that point. It wasn’t the sound of his unconscious thoughts speaking back to himself, nor of Reinhard making a last-ditch attempt at getting him to back away. 

No, the one speaking to him was the creature right in front of them. 

“...You let Lia die…” The words of the beast spoke in his head “...You let Lia die…..” Like a tempest, it kept crashing around in his head, framing him as guilty “...You let Lia die….” one thought led to the other, but they were all the same “...You let Lia die….”going on and endless repeat, a siren-like abyss “....You let Lia die….”, never stopping, never surrendering to his confused pleas “...You Let Lia die….”

“Who—Who is Lia?” 

Subaru tried in vain to converse with the creature, but it was fruitless. The Beast of the End spoke only of a person which they treasured, but was now lost to another world, the realm of the dead. 

He couldn’t get it to stop. That phrase kept repeating in his head as if those words held any meaning to him. Burying his head in the snow didn’t help in the slightest, it only gave him a strong frostbite that exacerbated his headache. 

Running out of options, he felt it call out to him. It wasn’t a desire, but a commanding order. If the Beast of the End wanted him to stay there, then what else could he do but to oblige to its demands? 

As fast as he could, his feet burrowing into the mounds of snow, he hurried back to where Reinhard was. Unlike himself, it seemed as if the beast and the Master Swordsman were deep into a conversation he couldn’t grasp the context of. 

Standing not too far from the two, was Subaru, watching the ensuing conflict. Reinhard took his legendary sword from its sheath as he prepared to engage the beast. Looking at it firmly, he asked it.

“Now, are you going to destroy the world?”

No apparent response, but Reinhard nodded accordingly. The attack kept being charged by a mass of light too bright to see into. 

“For the sake of the capital, I will stop you from causing any further harm.”

The attack was strengthened even further, and the intensity of its force became apparent even to Subaru, who was taken aback by the amount of strength he displayed so far. 

After a moment, something tipped Reinhard off and he turned around, shocked beyond belief to see that the boy had not only followed him back there, but was too close to the battlefield to stay away. 

“Subaru! I told you to retreat and gather everyone in the capital, did you!?”

“Everyone else already left! I’m the only one that’s still here!”

The two of them raised their voices to speak with one another, though it was uncharacteristic of the knight to speak so loudly. Reinhard lowered his gaze as the beast towered over them “I see….I thank you for that, Subaru, I couldn’t have asked for a more important favor, and you kept your word to the very end…”

“The….The end…?” 

“I cannot stop my Dragon Sword Reid from undoing its attack once it begins, I can only delay it. Now, it’s too late, Subaru. Run away as soon as you can”

Images of a previous time flashed back to him, remembering the very cause of his demise. The image of a sword being raised, and finally lowered, was much more damaging than anything this beast could manage to do.

“Rein….Reinhard…..”

Subaru was pissed off. He was summoned to this world to be a hero for someone, but it was too much to bear. The swordsman was an individual with no equal. Subaru was comparable only to the dirt that lay covered by the snow. 

Because, he was brimming with jealousy, at the legendary figure standing heroically before him. 

“Why do you have so much power?! How can I be the only one who’s lacking here?! I thought I was blessed by the world, but it was you?! What did you do to deserve all this?!” 

He didn’t get a proper answer. Their goals were very different from one another, so there was no need for that, and yet….

“Farewell, Subaru. I do wish we could’ve been friends someday….Though if you resent me even in death, I will not blame you….” 

The Dragon Sword was raised to its full potential, the glory of humanity was witness to the peak of human achievement, sparing them the torturous journey that allowed it to be created. 

“Re—-!”

His voice was cut short with the finality of it all, the pointlessness of his journey was cut short in the span of a single moment. Yet, even knowing that, Subaru asserted the swordsman’s name. 

The weapon was lowered on this formidable beast, which had accepted its fate. 

“REINHARD!!!”

Subaru’s body was warmed up in an instant by the light, not feeling the cold breeze flowing through the wind. The next instant, it was replaced with an intense heat that tore skin from flesh and flesh from bone. His eyes were overwhelmed by the light presented before him, as he forced them open. 

The beast, too, was crumbling from the amount of force applied on it, while the figure of a lone swordsman stood between the two, clutching the Dragon Sword in his hands as the very last thing he saw before vanishing from this world. 

Natsuki Subaru, became dust again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Small note: The encounter between Reinhard and Puck in Arc 4 didn’t really clarify to me if he was aware of who the Four Great Spirits were, so I’m running with “he does”. 
> 
> And a not so fun fact: The exchange between Julius and Kadomon’s daughter didn’t get to happen in the previous loop, so you can kind of guess what happened there.....
> 
> Also, I’ll be making a fair amount of references to both future content (Arc 5 and Arc 6) as well as some backstory-related bits about Reinhard from the EX Novels, but they’re not too plot relevant right now. 
> 
> (Right now I’m basically jumping around between projects, so you can expect another update sometime in the near future....)
> 
> Next time: More characters are introduced, Subaru channels his inner Pride!IF self, and Reinhard is built different, as always. 
> 
> Thanks For Reading!


	3. Her Name

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m really, really bad at gauging the splitting point for chapters, so I’m leaving you with a chunky amount. Really, there was just too much to cover... (Not to mention, it really wasn’t flowing properly when split into parts). Now that I think about it, this is most likely the chapter with the highest wordcount I’ve ever written out :0
> 
> Anyway! My rambling aside, the chapter is here, so go on and read ahead!

Reinhard Van Astrea, the man which could only be compared to a monster in human form. 

Unlike the other Royal Knights, he overshadowed them all with his seemingly limitless potential. At no point in his wildest dreams had Subaru even considered the fact that such a person could exist in real life. 

“This is…..This is stupid! Why is he the one who gets all the glory, huh?!” Subaru clenched his fists as he grasped the grocery bag and swung it around in his arms, almost making the bag of chips fall on the ground. 

“At this rate, he’s going to make me look like a pathetic idiot!”

It was unfair that he, some sort of privileged noble who could never do wrong, had been given all sorts of convenient advantages. Once on the scene, all he could do against the Beast of the End was to run away like a coward while Reinhard acted as a martyr for the capital. 

“Hey, it’s none of my business, but don’t tell me about your daily life as if it’s nothing, I don’t care about it.”

“Shut the hell up! What do you know about me?!”

He didn’t buy anything from the Appa Merchant. If he had, they’d probably have gotten into a useless confrontation, and he had much more pressing matters currently.’

Natsuki Subaru hurried his pace across the capital as he looked around, the citizens going through their daily routines as if a gigantic monster hadn’t trampled through the streets just a moment ago. 

His angered expression made it difficult for them to ask the boy what was going through his head, only giving them concerned stares as they moved along. 

“What the hell….Is this….?”

There was nothing he could do about it, Reinhard was just that powerful of a hero, and yet he was more jealous than anyone else at that moment.  
Everything that he was, Subaru wanted to be at that moment. Everything that he had, Subaru wanted to take away for himself only. 

“Reinhard Van Astrea....You’re the hero, and I’m the fool who chased after you…”

His fantasy of adventure had shattered to pieces in that brief instant. Despite Reinhard’s incredible display of strength, what caused him to hold such envy against him wasn’t truly the power he held, but how he presented himself.

Keeping his cool in the situation, being so friendly even to a lost soul like him, showing no sense of insanity through his actions——

Those were the ideas which held him together, and shaped his view of that man. He was a legendary figure, what place did he have in his life? Not to mention, that half-elf girl was no different.

The only time he’d gotten her to speak with him properly, she’d ignore him entirely. Subaru wasn’t even sure if her name was actually Satella, since he was accused of letting “Lia” die. If that was true, then Lia was not interested in him one bit. 

It made him furious that the people around him were fading away, distancing themselves and creating an insurmountable gap he couldn’t breach with his own, pathetic, foolish, idiotic, hands….

—

Reinhard Van Astrea was exactly where he wanted him to be. It was fortunate that he’d always be in the same place and time as always, because it’d be nothing but trouble if he suddenly disappeared without a trace. 

“Master Swordsman? Really? Is that the most insulting nickname you could come up with?” 

In response, the swordsman looked behind him, surprised at the casual way in which he’d been insulted by a mere stranger. 

“I do not know why you are addressing me in that way, is there a reason?” 

“Maybe if you dropped your pompous voice and spoke like a real person, I wouldn’t be so pissed off!” Subaru clenched his fists, and raised them  
In the air. 

“I thought the knights of the Royal Guard were all cool warriors who fought to help people, yet here you are, walking around without a care in the world!” 

“Who are you to speak in such a condescending manner?!”

To this comment, the boy pointed at the swordsman, and cracked a cocky smile “My name is Natsuki Subaru! And I’m challenging you, Reinhard Van Astrea, to a battle of wits!”

With a slight pause in his speech, the swordsman waited for a moment before speaking further “Subaru, was that your name?”

“That’s me and no one else. You’d be hard pressed to find someone with a name as pathetic as mine.”

“I don’t believe so, it’s quite the enigmatic name for a just-as-unusual person like you seem to be, so I am not surprised.”

“Anyway! My bet’s not changing! So we’re going to see who’s the best of the both of us! And the challenge is: Finish your own objective before the other can!”

“I’m getting the impression that you’ve already made up your mind about this.”

“Come on, Reinhard! Don’t look so down and depressed! If I win against you when you’re not giving it your all, then what’s the point?”

He was very insistent on getting his point across, and seeing as how the swordsman had some free time to spare, there didn’t seem to be any harm. 

“Very well, I shall listen to the requirements behind this challenge of yours. It could serve to occupy me during this recess.” 

Subaru explained the logistics of his plan, which he had thought of on the spot: It consisted of them racing to accomplish what they were there to do before midnight, which he recognized was the moment the Beast of the End was set to arrive. 

Of course, he didn’t clarify why he set the limit until that time, and simply passed it off as if it was convenient for him. After all, twelve hours were enough time for him to prepare properly. 

“I see….Given your explanation, you claim that the girl known as Felt is actually the heir to the throne?” 

“Don’t ask me. If there’s someone who can tell you that, it would be the girl herself, right?”

“Very well. I understand now what you intend me to do, but I can’t say the same for the situation you’ve put yourself in.”

Because part of this deal had been that she would save a certain “girl”, who’s name he didn’t care to mention, from getting murdered. If it had happened once, then he was sure that it would keep happening no matter what. 

“Whoever loses has to follow the other for the rest of the day, got it? So if I win, you’ll be serving me until nighttime!”

“Such harsh demands….”

Reinhard accepted. The weight behind Subaru’s words was weak, and only the fierceness in his tone indicated that he was serious about it. On the other hand, Subaru specified as much because having some extra security wouldn’t hurt, after all.

After a few minutes, the race finally started. 

—

Subaru’s first idea was to go back to the merchant’s corner. He risked losing Reinhard in the process, since they were further away from the area than he’d realized, but there was no need to worry about it.

With jaded breath, he hurried to achieve the impossible and defeat this illogical existence, also known as the Master Swordsman. Fortunately for him, Subaru had an advantage in knowledge, not just in opportunity. 

“She’s not here.” He looked towards the corridors.

“She’s not here.” Not inside the buildings, which he peeked inside of, either.

“Dammit! Where is she?!” She wasn’t where he’d seen her previously, she had disappeared.

The streets were crowded with individuals from all walks of life: Humans, Demi-humans, legendary warriors, common folk, goons, unfortunate souls. They were making his life impossible by doing absolutely nothing at all—-

As if by chance——No, even that would be putting it lightly. No, as if fate itself had chosen to dictate it in such a specific way, Natsuki Subaru happened to make another mistake this time. 

The way from one street to the other was the same, he knew where to find Reinhard again because he had gotten used to it, but there was another factor he failed to consider until now. 

That is, even if one tried to avoid it, sometimes the past comes back to haunt you. 

The girl walking not far from where Subaru stood, had been the same person who helped him out again and again, but also the same person who had lied to him before. 

Lia looked around, thoughts of worry crossing her mind, as she attempted to find the culprit behind the theft of her precious insignia. The fact that demi-humans roamed around the capital was no objection to Subaru’s truth, that she would always be in his conscience no matter what. 

He was sure that he had taken the right direction towards the Loot House, so was it perhaps a coincidence that they happened to meet here again, despite all odds?

“Lia?”

Subaru stated the girl’s name to her, and because it was within earshot, Lia turned around at the mention of that particular word, seemingly startled by it. Her eyes concentrated on him, she had a firm expression not much different from last time. “Why did you call me that?”

It was impossible for him to answer that question, because he had no particular knowledge of her real name. It was the only piece of information he had on anything resembling a dead “Lia”, as stated from someone precious to her. 

“One of your friends….They called you ‘Lia’, didn’t they? Satella has nothing to do with it, right?” 

At the mention of the Witch’s name, Lia naturally flinched “Why are you saying that so casually?! Can’t you tell that other people can hear us?!” 

“S-Sorry, Sorry, alright?”

Without meaning to, he had provoked her, and Lia was already taking a step back to stay away from him. 

At this questioning, Lia’s contracted spirit appeared beside her, floating around her figure as he stared at Subaru. He got close enough to him to look at the boy directly in the face. 

“You don’t look dangerous, and the way you’re dressed makes me think you’re not a local from the capital, so just who are you to call her Lia without warning?”

This time, it was Subaru who was caught off guard by the tone of Puck’s voice. One could say that, upon hearing it, part of himself had been forcefully stripped away, revealing his inner ego. 

“Stop it, Puck. I just want to speak with Lia about her insignia, that’s all.”

“That’s one demand too many. If you want me to cooperate, then tell me why I should let you speak with her so casually.”

Regardless of his first impression, Lia had been cautious enough to not give him a chance to threaten her. However, even that assumption had been flipped on its head. 

“Puck, I know I reacted in a bad way to him saying that name, but…..”

“You’re considering him a friend?”

“It’s….It’s possible. I don’t know why, but I know that deep inside me, I trust in his words, whatever his intention may be.” 

What Lia felt in that moment was like the warm embrace of a shoulder she didn’t know she could rest on. The origin of that sentiment was hard to describe, but it was there. 

“See? It’s like I said! All we need to do is to talk it out like adults and get this mess over with.”

“Don’t get so ahead of yourself. We can’t be sure of how you knew that name to begin with, so explain yourself before I make you regret ever having said it.”

“The reason I said “Lia”, and not any other name in particular, is because I know you’re not Satella, you can’t be her, so I want to know what your true name is.”

Subaru had assumed that such a short title couldn’t possibly be a person’s name, since in his world it was common to refer to people by affectionate nicknames instead. 

So, could it be possible?

Lia shook her head in disagreement. It’s not like he didn’t trust him, but she wasn’t careless, either. “I can’t go off giving my name to strangers I don’t know. At least you’re aware of my situation, and I’m glad about that, but it’s not enough. And also, stop calling me Lia, it feels inappropriate.” 

“Of course, only I have the right to call her that, a name like Lia is truly special, isn’t it?”

Subaru’s eyes wide open, he was surprised to realize that his suspicions from earlier were sadly correct. It was a nagging feeling that didn’t let go after he began to speak, but now, it was clear. 

“Puck……”

“What is it? This isn’t the first time you’re seeing a spirit speak like that, isn’t it?”

“N-No, it’s not that, it’s not that at all! I’m just confused about why you’d do that in the first place!”

It didn’t make any sense. He knew Puck. He was the self-proclaimed guardian of Satella, who showed up at certain intervals in the day and left after that, like a white collar worker. 

And so, Subaru continued. 

“Why did you freeze the capital?!”

—

Meanwhile, Reinhard was on the hunt for the girl Subaru had specified to him: An alley thief known as Felt. His first thought was to ask around in the streets for aid, but unlike the boy’s direct and rash attitude, the average townsfolk were very much afraid of him, as if they could be judged for crimes they had yet to commit. 

One of his stops led him to the sight of a peculiar Appa Stand, with its vendor standing behind it. Upon seeing the swordsman, he was startled into bowing his head, though he dismissed it. 

“Excuse my intrusion, but I had an important matter I wanted to discuss, if you know something about it.”

“Something? And what is this, “something” you are looking for?” 

“This concerns the Royal Selection, specifically speaking, a possible fifth heir to the throne. From what I gathered, she is someone named ‘Felt’, though I have no recollection of who she could be….”

It was a name that he recognized, because the girl was quite the pain in the ass to handle. Disguising his motives, he feigned disinterest in the topic. 

“Felt? Ah, she’s just some popular thief that steals valuable goods from time to time. I hope she doesn’t cause you much trouble.”

It was uncharacteristic for Kadomon to be so nice to people, as the feeling was not mutual between himself and most local demi-humans. Even so, it was much better than getting into trouble for no reason. 

“I appreciate your concern, though I wish to know where she could be at the moment.” 

“That girl has her own hideout in the edges of the capital. One time, I tried to take back some vegetables she took from me, but never got them back.”

“That is...Unfortunate. I suppose you were able to retrieve them?”

“Not in the least. They’re probably rotten away somewhere else. Not like I care, she’s some spoiled kid who thinks she owns the world just because of her looks…”

Kadomon was growing much more upset as the conversation went on. It was clear to Reinhard that Felt, despite her potential as a candidate, had a reputation that most people would have her hanged for. 

“Hi—-yah!”

As Reinhard was attempting to retrieve some more information from the Appa Salesman, his ears intercepted the distinct sound of a female voice, rushing through the air, as she fled from the scene. 

He turned around, and saw the figure of a blonde-haired girl as she kept running through the street. He wasn’t inconvenienced enough to complain about it at first, but something about her made him change his mind in a second. 

The brief glimpse of a shining object, and the fact that it was the badge which Subaru spoke of. How he managed to track her down was a miracle, but asking around wouldn’t do him any good at this time. 

“Miss Felt! Please come back to your position, there is an important matter we must discuss.”

She didn’t listen. The mischievous girl mocked Reinhard as she began to escape towards the sky, and the knight was forced to give chase. 

Reinhard chased Felt across the rooftops of the buildings as they jumped from one to the other, not quite managing to catch up to her. Despite his profile as a Master Swordsman, he was also agile on his feet, balancing across the walls and using his Dragon Sword as support, stabbing it into concrete. 

Felt looked back and saw the swordsman approaching at an increasingly fast pace. “Don’t you have anything better to do?!” 

“Allow me to apologize for this sudden inconvenience, Miss Felt. However, I cannot allow myself to let this crime pass me by under any circumstances!”

“Creep!”

Felt kept running away, executing several feints in order to fool him into thinking she’s come to a full stop. As Reinhard kept trying to grab her, she adapted to his movements and dodged accordingly. 

“I see……”

The situation was dire because she was unwilling to listen, and unlike what one would normally expect, he was much more suited for close-combat than long-ranged ambushes, which is why simply apprehending her proved to be quite the difficult feat.

Knowing this, Reinhard knelt down and closed his eyes, taking a moment to concentrate his thoughts on a single idea. All the while, Felt was getting further and further away from him. 

She laughed and mocked him from the other end of the street as she paused for an instant, gauging the distance between them. It was far enough for him to lose her if she simply fell back into the streets, so she smiled at herself knowing that her plan had worked. 

“So long, sucker!”

Jumping from one marketplace to the other, she was quite agile on her feet, and normal bystanders were confused at the sight of a scarfed blur moving among them as if they were nothing. 

—-

He didn’t know how, nor why, but the atmosphere between Lia, Puck and himself had developed into a complete mess. 

For one, the contracted spirit was glaring at him with an imposing expression, while Satella had been taken aback by his open declaration, taking a step back to process it.

“What exactly are you talking about? Have you lost your mind? Or maybe, you wish to know what your place in this conversation is?”

“You don’t scare me, Puck! I know what you’re trying to do, and I’m going to stop you!”

“Puck wouldn’t do something like that for no reason! Don’t throw around those hurtful accusations!”

“But Lia—-!”

Again, he was furious at Puck, not her. Subaru tried to grab the spirit, but he kept fading out on purpose so any hits would not connect whatsoever. After a few attempts, he was forced to catch his breath. 

“Having good intentions is not a good thing. You’re misleading yourself into thinking I’m a threat, and I can tell.”

He then turned towards Lia, who had already decided to continue her search for the insignia, and said “Don’t stay too far back, Lia. Remember that my contract forbids me from being too far away from you.”

“Contract…?” Subaru asked himself just what kind of pact would require the end of the world to occur. 

“I’ve been followed by strangers lately, it’s been hard to stay hidden….” Lia and Puck faded into the crowd, with the boy being left to deal with his own grievances. 

After failing miserably to understand Puck’s motive, he had instead made Lia lose her interest in him, and the contracted spirit was clearly furious about his knowledge of events. 

But why? If he was so enraged about what happened to Lia, why couldn’t he do anything about it? Reinhard had spoken about him like some sort of extremely powerful being, yet it turns out that he’s acting under a binding contract?

He kept running towards Lia, so as to keep talking to her, but the commotion caused between them had been enough to attract a crowd. It proved to be a genuine obstacle as he tried to bypass their blockade.

“Lia! Lia! Please come back! I just want to know! I just want to help you——!”

He just knew her name. Only her name.  
That’s all he knew. 

“Make way, make way! I’m getting out of here!”

In a single instant, he felt himself be pushed to the ground by an unknown force, as the voice of a girl’s yelling was heard almost right next to him. Feeling it fade, he saw that Felt had been inconsiderate enough to use him as a cushion for her fall, and kept going. 

She was the same person Reinhard was looking for, and as that thought entered his mind, the swordsman’s figure dropped from the rooftops as it caught up to Felt. In a swift movement, he turned her around and used a special technique to induce unconsciousness. 

Felt was incapacitated.

Reinhard reassured the crowd as he carried Felt with him, noticing that Subaru was getting on his feet, another casualty of the girl’s mischief. 

“Did you find what you were looking for, Subaru?”

“You know what? Let’s call off that bet we made, I’m not confident I can pull it off…”

“And why is that? Didn’t you simply need to speak with that girl?”

“That’s….That’s one way to put it….” 

Subaru didn’t need him to see his flustered face, but his welcoming attitude was hard to break free from. 

“I understand. It was your idea, after all, and it would be best for you as a means to rest.”

He felt defeated by the idea that Reinhard could  
be able to complete such an important task in a time much shorter than he had. Very, very defeated. 

“Hey, Reinhard…..”

But despite that, he no longer held hatred against him, not towards anyone. 

“Where I’m from, you’d be the worst goody-two shoes anyone’s ever seen….”

—-

As Reinhard explained to Subaru, he needed Felt to wake up before taking her back to the Astrea House, so they chose to spend some time resting in the capital before continuing. 

Felt was resting face-up next to Reinhard as they discussed recent events together. Oddly enough, she seemed to be in the middle of a very peaceful dream. 

“Do you know her from somewhere?”

“Something like that. I didn’t know she was actually the heir until now, though.”

“Indeed, I only happened to see it by chance. I’m fortunate to have received your advice on that, or we’d still be looking for her a week from now.”

“That insignia….Why is it so important for the royal selection?”

“The prophecy states that a blonde-haired individual with red eyes is suited to become the fifth candidate to the throne. The dragon’s insignia chose the previous candidates, and she was no different. That is why I've been entrusted with finding her.”

“So, other than Felt here, there’s four other candidates?” 

“Correct. but as you know, we cannot confirm that she is indeed the fifth candidate until we speak with the Council of Sages.”

“Ah, even if I wanted to become the King, I’d have to be chosen by this Dragon…..”

“Not many people have this privilege, and yet, it could also be seen as a burden to some.”

Reinhard Van Astrea, as Subaru knew him, as an experienced knight. He had underestimated just how much he knew about the world, and regretted being as much of a pain in the ass as before. 

“Eh? How would it be a burden? Aren’t you saying that as someone with more power than anyone else?”

“Sometimes, it’s difficult for others to understand it. Being a Royal Knight is already a difficult task under normal circumstances, but the conditions of my training were abnormal, to say the least.”

“You guys sure have it rough when it comes to that...Not like I believe you’re not lying, though. But let’s leave it at that.”

Next to Reinhard, Felt was beginning to open her eyes as she realized that she had been taken away by them. Immediately, she got flustered and got on her feet, attempting to push him away from her. 

“Get away from me! Piss off! Get away! Get away!”

“Miss Felt. You’ve been chosen as the fifth candidate for the throne. Won’t you accept?”

“Accept? I’ll never work for those people! They can choke on their tongue for all I care!”

Seeing her desperation, Subaru shouted out the only phrase he could think of to calm her down and relax. “Rom is okay!”

In that instant, she turned around and faced the boy, confused as to how he knew of her relationship with the giant. Watching him closely, she fended off Reinhard’s hands but put some distance between them.

“Of course he is! I’m not worried about that, not one bit!”

“Reinhard needs you to help him with the Royal Selection, and if you do, you’ll have a lot of power to yourself. You’re not going to refuse an offer like that, right? Then again, it’s not like you have a say in it, after all.”

“And that’s why I refuse! I don’t care if this dumb-faced guy keeps telling me to go, there’s no way you’ll convince me!” She crossed her arms and stayed away from them, looking for an exit already. However, she first needed to know where they were. 

Subaru whispered something in Reinhard’s ear, which he listened closely to. After a moment, the knight spoke to Felt again.

“If I understood Subaru’s comment, it appears you had business to settle in the Loot House, am I wrong?”

In her hands, Felt had hidden the insignia, which is what bothered Reinhard enough to change his stance on the situation. “That’s right, but you’re not allowed to follow me there, alright? I don’t want to get in trouble.”

“You’ve caused enough problems as is, what difference does it make?”

“It makes all the difference! Not like you’d know anything about it, at all!”

To Subaru, she was a girl who he knew wasn’t as terrible as she made herself out to be. However, the fact that her memories of their experiences together had been reset was quite troubling. 

“Subaru, could you do me a favor?”

The swordsman tucked his sword away and began to prepare himself to leave. Subaru didn’t know why he kept doing so, but asking would just be prying into private matters. 

“Sure, what of it?”

“I need you to follow Felt while the two of you go to the Loot House, I have something I need to take care of first.”

Being left alone with that girl was more intimidating than even his own presence, which Subaru acknowledged. The two of them looked at each other with contempt, not knowing what to do with this situation.

——

The journey to the Loot House was a quiet one. Subaru was concerned that being around Felt would make him look like a thief if he kept pulling her around, and Felt herself was pissed that her scheme could possibly be discovered. 

“If you tell anyone about this, I’m going to slash you to pieces.”

“Let’s not go that far, okay? I’m just trying to settle things as soon as possible.”

“Bah, that’s just a bluff….”

Even so, Felt had never seen Subaru in his life, and yet he claimed to be on friendly terms with Rom, enough to mention his name in a casual manner. “How do you know Rom? Tell me.”

She looked at him with suspicious eyes as she stopped her pace. “Come on, tell me now or I'm not moving. Did you go there to steal our prizes? Did you threaten him with staying quiet about this?”

“Like I said—! We’ll get nowhere by suspecting each other. If you help me with Lia’s badge, and you help Reinhard by cooperating, then we can leave you alone!”

“I don’t remember agreeing to rule this kingdom of greedy bastards! The only people I’m supposed to work for are shady, so it’s only fair all of them are the same!”

Subaru’s intervention was only causing her to get more and more angered, so it was time for him to switch topics. 

“Honestly….You’re not making Rom worry that much about you, are you? Since he’s guarding the Loot House, then maybe people would be looking for valuable items in it.”

“He’s good at handling himself. He’s told me stories about how he took down an entire army of humans and chewed their bones, so you’d never be able to match him in your wildest dreams.”

“Rom’s that impressive? I’m not doubting you, but your story sounds fishy—-“

In a single second, he felt a chill run down his spine as his neck was grazed by a sharp object. He looked around and saw the figure of a stray dagger, stabbed into the wall of a building near them. 

“Ah, I see you’ve finally arrived!”

Subaru’s eyes widened as he saw someone he’d forgotten about entirely, due to recent events. However, even the fact that they were overshadowed didn’t stop them from being a threat, as they stepped into the scene.

The assassin spun her kukri knives as she taunted the duo which stood defiantly before her. “What a shame, I’m surprised you only showed up now, considering……”

Putting an end to her scheme, she rested her blade, and continued speaking. “That girl and the giant are dead. Such easy targets, never suspecting anything…..”. Despite this claim, she appeared to be this appointed by her lack of resistance. “This job was so unfulfilling….”

With a single turn of phrase, Subaru’s eyes had sharpened into an angered expression, as he looked at her with the eyes of a betrayed victim. 

“What the hell is wrong with you?! Didn’t you want to take the insignia and then leave?!”

To Subaru, her actions made no sense. Him and Reinhard were only able to deduce that Felt was the fifth heir because she had already taken the insignia, and at that point, Lia wasn’t even close to the Loot House, nor did Felt herself ever approach it, having Reinhard as an overseer. 

“You are very perceptive…” She licked her lips as her aura was beginning to show a sense of bloodlust. “I like those who learn to anticipate their end before it happens, it makes it all the more exciting, does it not?”

Subaru clenched his teeth and prepared to face the assassin with all his might. “No matter how many times it takes, I’m not letting you lay a hand on her anymore!”

“H-Hey! Are you stupid? Don’t rush off all by yourself—-!” Desperate to take her down, she hid in the shadows while observing them within the shadows of night. 

He ran towards her at a quickened pace, even after Felt tried to warn him, as his expression was one of unleashed rage and anger. The assassin was glad that he was taking the initiative, as the other girl had done nothing but allow herself to die. Before she could swipe her kukri knives against his stomach, Subaru yelled out Felt’s name as he braced for impact. “Do it! Do it now!”

The thief’s wind attack materialized in an instant, and the assassin was taken aback by the recoil from it, being forced to divert the current with her weapon rather than gut Subaru on the spot. 

Felt pushed her to the side as she retreated back to her corner, attempting to hide again. Subaru gave her a thumbs up from the other side of the area, standing side by side “Good one, Felt! You’ve saved me some time, after all!

“I’m not doing this for you, so stop taking all the credit!”

“Even so, you saved my life when you could’ve let me die, so don’t forget that.”

“Like I’d go as far as doing a favor for strangers! You’re just strange—-!”

Yet, regardless of their banter, it was true that Felt went out of her way to help him, even if their first interaction had been less than stellar, it showed signs of improvement. Most troubling of all, however, was Reinhard’s absence. 

“Where the heck is he…? Can’t he show up right now, of all times?”

The assassin was the barrier which prevented them from crossing towards the other end of the slums, and thus, reaching Emilia and Rom. Were they to fail now, it would lead to imminent—-

In the air, a magenta blur moved around as it flew towards Subaru and Felt. The figure landed on the ground as they looked towards the attacker. 

“So it’s you, Elsa Granhiert….I have to say, an assassin of your caliber has no place here.”

Elsa smiled to herself as she saw the Master Swordsman arrive at the scene. Felt and Subaru looked to the side, and located him. 

“Don’t flatter me with such compliments, they truly make me joyful~!”

Reinhard unsheathed a sword which was strapped against his jacket, and pointed it at her. Subaru was alarmed that he could’ve done something reckless again, but that weapon didn’t seem to be the Dragon Sword from before, but a much weaker blade. 

“Very well, then. I hope you enjoy that happiness while it lasts.”

Elsa and Reinhard began a heated conflict as the former jumped around between the walls. It became difficult for the knight to handle her, despite his boasts, because the terrain was unfavorable. However, even a single strike from him could probably incapacitate her. 

The kukri knives and the broken blade were on par with one another, and Reinhard was beginning to improve in his defense as Elsa’s offense began to falter. After a minute, he began to wonder why she was seemingly paying him no attention. 

Subaru and Felt were watching the fight from the other side, while the girl was furious that she’d been ignored, already planning another counter-attack. 

“You’re used to sneaking around, right? Why don’t you try to attack her from behind?” 

“Even if I did that, she’d just dodge my strike! And you’d just get in the way!”

“Don’t make so much noise—-! You’re going to reveal our position!”

“Who are you calling noisy——?!”

Felt’s body began to shake, as she suddenly felt very light-headed, she stumbled on her feet as she looked at her stomach, and immediately collapsed on the ground. During her skirmish with Elsa, she had been careless enough to get too close, and received the brute force of the impact only a moment later. It was only now, that her second strike had been fatal at its strongest, and the resulting pool of blood coming from Felt’s body made Subaru wince. 

“F-Felt!”

Reinhard stopped Subaru as he approached Felt’s body, as she had an expression of excruciating pain. The swordsman was not a healer, and neither was Subaru, so Elsa’s slashes were too dangerous at the moment. 

She touched her forehead, and confirmed the worst of his fears….The fifth candidate was killed, and he had been careless to ignore her existence before it was too late. Reinhard closed her eyes and carried her in his arms as he addressed Subaru. 

“I cannot stay here any longer. Though I presume that is the same for you, Bowel Hunter.” Reinhard bore an expression that was unlike anything he had seen him look like before. 

For the first time, the swordsman was solemnly processing his grief over losing a friend. 

“Elsa Granhiert…..For the sake of this nation, and as a means to avenge this girl, I shall rid you of this world.”

“Ah, are you threatening to take my life? Royal knights can be truly brave at the harshest times….”

The only step remaining now, was to face the Bowel Hunter herself. Unfortunately for the both of them, Reinhard’s comment didn’t come without its own implications of a threat, which she didn’t take lightly. 

“D-Damnit, Elsa!!”

She was beginning to retreat, jumping strategically towards the nearest blind spot to make her getaway. Even as Subaru tried to look for her whereabouts, she was gone before he could do anything. The last thing he heard her say, in a lovingly sadistic tone, was the following: 

“Keep those bowels of yours intact. I’ll be waiting to trample over them!”

Natsuki Subaru wanted to see her again, to teach her a lesson, but she had disappeared into the night. Not willing to face the consequences of her actions, Subaru could only think of her as a fool. 

What kind of person could be happy that other people’s lives were snatched away? What horrible situation could justify something like that?

Reinhard couldn’t possibly stay with him to handle the commotion, so he merely looked at him with a lowered gaze. 

“Natsuki Subaru….If it’s not much to ask, I would like to know what kind of person you are. Who would be willing to face these tragedies, despite their lack of knowledge of this world?”

“I’m….I’m no one.”

“Subaru, you know that is a lie.”

“It’s not, and you have no way of proving me wrong about it. I’m no one.”

“You led me to believe that you were a mere stranger, but I cannot accept that as the truth, given the lengths you’ve gone to aid me.”

“Aid you? I’ve never helped you. All I’ve been doing is mope around while you take all the glory, it’s just depressing….”

“When we first met, you intended to help me find Felt, even if you disguised it as a bet, I am sure of that fact now.” To this statement, even Subaru was surprised that the swordsman lacked no ill will against him at all. 

He looked down at her body as he continued to speak “Regardless of the outcome, I thank you for your help. I couldn’t have asked for anything else.”

“But it was a failure! I mean, look at her, isn’t she beyond saving?!”

“No one is beyond help. If there is a trace of humanity in them, then I shall respect their wishes to the end, just as I have done for you.”

“Rein….Reinhard…..”

It was incomprehensible. Why was he so nice to him, despite the fact that he’d been nothing but a complete jerk this entire time? He didn’t blame Reinhard for at least thinking of abandoning him, but he never did. 

“What do you see in me….?”

He didn’t respond. It was getting late for both of them, and not to mention, the fact that the wind was beginning to stir up certainly did not help. If they stayed there, they’d probably be attacked again, and he didn’t want to repeat what happened to Felt.

“Subaru, are you choosing to stay behind?”

Subaru looked to the direction of the Loot House as they spoke, a reminiscent tone in his voice “Yes, there’s someone I wanted to meet here, and Felt’s friend should also be there as well, so I can’t go with you.”

“I see…..”

And so, in the span of a mere day, it was Reinhard who found himself in gratitude for the experiences he had gone through with him. Their bond was strange, to say the least, but both of them agreed that it was mutual. 

“Thank you, Subaru.” 

—-

The cause of the wind, as Subaru had guessed it, was also the same constant variable behind the apocalyptic snowstorm that had ravaged the capital again and again. It too him a second to notice, and Reinhard probably didn’t feel it, but the air was getting cooler by the minute.

He approached the Loot House by himself after waving goodbye to the swordsman, who took Felt in his arms and left for help. Was this the time when people are supposed to address each other as friends?

Covering his mouth from coughing, he tried to stop the chilling air from reaching his lungs, and the wooden door felt extremely cold to the touch, so he chose to kick it instead. 

It was then, that the entire truth behind this incident unraveled itself to him. For an instant, he flashed back to all those times he had been murdered by Elsa, and what most likely happened after the fact…..

Because the scene before him was one of sorrow and melancholy, as the area was covered to the brim with snow and ice. It was getting hard to breathe just from standing there. 

Puck, Lia’s contracted spirit, floated in the air as whirlwinds of snow developed around him. The tavern was destroyed beyond recognition, and several broken bottles showed the end result of Rom’s eventual fate. The giant’s limp body was not too far from the entrance, and he looked almost indentical to the last time he’d seen him.

“So it’s you again. I didn’t expect to meet you here, of all places.”

Puck greeted Subaru with his arms crossed as he looked around, and realized that the two of them were alone. The boy was scared that Puck wouldn’t give him a chance to speak, which is why he hesitated for a moment. 

Even then, they were communicating telepathically, something that had only occurred to him once before this point. 

“——“

“Why….? Why did you do this….?”

“Do I need to explain myself? The Bowel Hunter is to blame, as you probably saw. There is nothing I can do to mend this situation now. At the very least, I’ll say that she was happy to have spoken with someone who knew her.”

“She recognized me?”

“Lia doesn’t like when other people call her by that nickname, only I can say it. Therefore, there isn’t much use in me saying this, but you were correct.”

“If you want to address her, you should call her Emilia. I won’t allow you to act so casually with her just because you want to.” 

That….That name! He’d wanted to know that for so long, and it was finally his to know! But…..  
Not far from where the contracted spirit was floating, the girl’s fallen body was sighted by him, to which he immediately ran over. 

“E-Emilia…!”

Her wounds were ones dealt by the Bowel Hunter, and her expression was mostly lifeless. Subaru didn’t care about her current state, he wanted to comfort her even now. 

“Emilia! Emilia! It’s me, Subaru! The person you’ve been waiting for, for so long!” He cradled her fallen body as he pressed his head against her abdomen. “I didn’t forget about you! I swear it! I was looking for a way to make the both of us happy, but it didn’t work! So that’s why—-! That’s why—-!”

He couldn’t help it. His vision was becoming less and less clear as tears began to form in his eyes. It was unfair, that such a kind girl had her life stripped away from her. It was unfair, that both of their dreams had been crushed by the world. The world was cruel because of what it had conspired to do against Emilia. 

Natsuki Subaru’s reality broke for a second time. The illusion he himself had created, that of a boy in the middle of a perilous adventure, was now undone forever. He was forced to acknowledge the sheer brutality of the situation now, and Emilia had suffered then just as much as she did now. 

“To complete my contract, no one will be left alive. All your lives are forfeit.” The being known as Puck, who was him no longer, spoke with the tone of an ancient beast. 

In their surroundings, the area had changed significantly: The Loot House’s outsides were destroyed in a single blast of light, and Subaru braced himself for an impact he only flinched at. 

“I’m sorry, Emilia! I’m sorry for doing this to you! If only I had the strength to help you, if only I didn’t act like a fool as I did now……!” Both Subaru and Emilia’s bodies were starting to be covered in snow, but he didn’t care. He kept cradling her and apologizing to her. “I’m going to change! I’m going to improve myself so I can help you! So I can be strong enough to stop this from happening again!”

At the sight of this exchange, the Beast of the End before them was merciful. It towered over Subaru as it examined him, backing away so that it could get a glimpse of Emilia. The Beast of the End closed its eyes, and it was then that the end of times arrived for Natsuki Subaru. 

“Sleep, along with my daughter.”

Ice shards penetrated his body one by one, until his back was entirely filled by them. The snow lowered in temperature, and he faded into unconsciousness as he collapsed on the snow. His blood began to bleed out into a pool, changing the white hues into a permanent red. 

The force that compelled him to continue on his endless journey of suffering and despair, was a warm feelimg in his chest. His only companion, being the girl named Emilia, just Emilia. 

“I’m going….To save you!”

That was the promise he made to the girl at that moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really appreciate the comments I’ve been receiving from you all, it’s exciting to keep reading them even now :) if there’s ever a comment I missed, it’s because I haven’t gotten a proper break yet, I apologize for that. 
> 
> Honestly, I feel bad when I can’t upload as often as I’d wish to, but it’s mostly due to a lot of outside factors. It’s also why I decided to post this chapter all at once, since I like writing out an entire section before posting the previous parts. 
> 
> That’s why, I won’t make any promises as to when updates will be or how my upload schedule will work, but I WILL say that, no matter how many WIPs I have, I aim to finish them all. 
> 
> Next time: Subaru uses his new-found knowledge to figure out a proper solution to their situation, for better or worse. Felt is just as spicy as ever, of course. 
> 
> Thanks For Reading!


End file.
